Geelong forward Jeremy Cameron says the Australian Football League (AFL) should reconsider its Thursday night scheduling. Instead, he proposes moving the bye to before the grand final, rather than the start of the finals series. Cameron is looking towards another important role with Geelong to help bring home another championship pennant. That advance work comes on the heels of their show-stopping campaign in 2022.
Cameron, who was instrumental in the Cats’ last grand final victory by scoring two goals, emphasized the need to adjust the bye’s timing. He thinks the amendment might increase the build up to the grand final. This change would pave the way for other award nights/events to be held throughout that week.
I’d like the bye to be before the grand final,” Cameron said. It would be awesome to have all the relevant award nights that week off to build momentum and hype.
As the Cats prepare for their title defence Cameron’s impact will be pivotal. When anxiety, manifested in the form of pre-game jitters, became a challenge for Long—having put in the time and effort to overcome them over the years, himself. Reflecting on his early struggles, he admitted, “Early in my career I couldn’t sleep before games because I was that excited to play.”
“Sometimes (now) I’m like, shit, we actually play today, don’t we? So I’m almost too relaxed,” he noted.
Cameron in turn is occupied with his own preparations. He is concerned for his mate Tom Stewart’s wellbeing, who will miss the grand final through injury. “Internally he would be hurting, disappointed that he’s not going to play,” Cameron remarked. He acknowledged Stewart’s potential impact off the field: “At the same time he knows that he can play a big role just around the football club.”
Cameron described Stewart’s recovery process with empathy, stating, “We were playing against him when it happened. I was sort of pretty close to the action. It looked like it was a fairly decent one, but he’s recovered really well.”
Jeremy Cameron continues to dazzle as a superstar forward for Geelong. He is a key figure in the club’s pursuit of a second straight AFL championship. His perspectives on team culture and the mental side of the game hint at this evolution as a person. Yet they expose his almost paternal disposition towards teammates that he fiercely protects.
